• Serena Williams, who said her first auto purchase was a while Lincoln Navigator SUV she named “Ginger,” has signed to become an official spokesperson for the brand. A social media-based marketing campaign includes videos of Williams talking about and driving the 2018 Navigator, with ongoing videos to follow. “Partnering with a brand like Navigator comes from a genuine place,” she said in the first video. “Let’s just be honest: Serena Williams needs to be in the new Navigator.”

• The Smashing Pumpkins unveil 'Shiny And Oh So Bright' 36-city tour, their first tour in nearly 20 years, with founding members Billy Corgan, Jimmy Chamberlin, James Iha. Produced by Live Nation.

'Green Lantern' could get the green light from Warner Bros. for a Super Bowl XLV commercial.December 19, 2010: If advertising on Fox during Super Bowl XVL resembles a journey into the local comic book store, that's because no fewer than six movies scheduled for release in May-June-July 2011 that could get ad slots during the game feature pulp fiction heroes.

Movie studios traditionally buy several ads during the heavily watched Super Bowl — Universal, Paramount and Disney had five among them during Super Bowl XLIV; and included among the nine movie preview ads during Super Bowl XLIII was DreamWorks' 3D spot for Monsters vs. Aliens in conjunction with Pepsi. The game from Cowboys Stadium on Feb. 6 will be no different, with no fewer than five and as many as eight movie previews likely to air. The cost per 30 seconds during the game will be $2.8-$3 million, according to industry analysts. But just add that to the multimillion-dollar marketing budgets these films are expected to garner.

Bursting through the wall of commercials from Bridgestone, Anheuser-Busch, Coca-Cola, Danica Patrick for GoDaddy.com and a parking lot of car companies could be a Justice League of spots featuring super heroes, mostly from DC and Marvel origins. Among the films that will hit big screens next year with a super-solid shot at Super Bowl stardom are Thor, X-Men: First Class, Green Lantern, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Captain America: The First Avenger and the reboot of Conan the Barbarian (however, no Arnold Schwarzenegger here). Plus what is supposed to be the last in the Harry Potter movies. In addition, Super is about an ordinary guy whose downtrodden life leads him to become the Crimson Bolt. Also high on the chart for Super Bowl XLV viewing with scheduled 2011 release dates are several invasions by aliens (including Mars Needs Moms, Super Eight and Cowboys & Aliens) and a bevy of animated/CGI actioners (Mars Needs Moms, Kung-Fu Panda 2, Cars 2, Rango).

Grab some popcorn and soda and settle in for what is often the best part of a movie-going experience: The previews (list in order of scheduled release date).

ParamountRangoMarch 4Johnny Depp, Timothy OlymphantAnimated adventure about an awkward chameleon who becomes sheriff in the lawless wild west town of Dirt. One key selling point: Director Gore Verbinksi also directed Depp in the first three Pirates of the Caribbean.

Walt Disney PicturesMars Needs MomsMarch 11Seth Green, Joan CusackMartians wants to abduct an Earth mom (and then others) and the mission is on to rescue her and other potential victims.

ColumbiaBattle: Los AngelesMarch 11Aaron EckhardVisions of Alien 2 meeting Escape From L.A.: Marines must save the Hollywood sign and other local landmarks from invaders from outer space.

Twentieth Century FoxDiary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Roderick RulesMarch 25Zachary GordonFollowing the original hit, Greg Heffley and friends go to middle school.

UniversalFast FiveApril 29Vin Diesel, Dwyane JohnsonIn the Fast and the Furious franchise, a group of drivers must compete for their freedom.

ParamountThorMay 6Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Anthony HopkinsThe "God of Thunder" is banned from his home on high and sent down to Earth, where he is challenged by humans and mythical villains.

Walt Disney StudiosPirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger TidesMay 20Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Ian McShaneThe fourth installment in the franchise (two more are TK) follows Capt. Jack Sparrow on his quest to find the Fountain of Youth.

Warner Bros.The Hangover IIMay 27Zach GalifianakisFollow up to the original hit (and certainly suited to a heavily imbibed Super Bowl viewing audience )follows the buddies on another edgy misadventure. And, yes, Ken Jeong (currently starring with Derrick Rose and Dwight Howard in a series of adidas commercials) is back as Mr. Chow.

Twentieth Century FoxX-Men: First ClassJune 3James McAvoy, Michael FassbenderPrequel to the X-Men hit shows how the battle between mutants and humans led to the creation of Charles Xavier's X-Men and Magneto's Brotherhood.

Paramount PicturesSuper 8June 10Elle Fanning, Kyle CHandlerDirector J.J. Abrams and producer Steven Spielberg follow an alien from Area 51 who escapes and must be recaptured.

Warner Bros.Green LanternJune 17Ryan ReynoldsA test pilot is selected by an intergalactic group to join them to protect the universe.

Mater and McQueen could be driving in a Super Bowl ad.Walt Disney StudiosCars 2June 24Owen Wilson, Michael Caine, Michael KeatonLightning McQueen, Mater and crew head to Europe to compete in the grueling World Grand Prix and become involved in an international mystery.

ParamountTransformers: Dark of the MoonJuly 1Shia LaBeouf, Rosie Huntington-WhiteleyThe next installment in the Transformers franchise finds Sam Witwicky and Optimus Prime take the battle against foes to outer space.

DreamWorksReal SteelOct. 7Hugh Jackman, Evangeline LillyAn $80 million remake of a classic episode from the original Twilight Zone TV series, set in a future world where boxing is done by robots but one human tries to extend his own time in the ring.